The Forecheck: The unique friendship powering UConn men's hockey's offense

Justin Pearson and Matthew Wood have accounted for 40 percent of UConn's newcomer production.

Mar 09, 2023

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The unique friendship powering UConn men's hockey's offense

In the third period of UConn’s win over Boston College on Saturday, Matthew Wood took the puck through the neutral zone. As he crossed over the blue line, two skaters closed in. Instead of dumping the puck deep or passing, Wood toe-dragged, split the two and burst towards the net.

The freshman then slide a pass over to Justin Pearson in the slot, who tucked a shot under the bar for his third goal of the night — and the first hat trick at Toscano Family Ice Forum.

Over the weekend, Wood and Pearson combined for seven points — four goals and three assists. On the season, they’ve totaled 24 goals and 36 assists while playing on the same line for practically the entire year. That on-ice chemistry is a product of the pair’s close friendship, which began after their first days at the rink together.

“We just had an immediate bond staying after practice, getting some extra ice time together,” Pearson explained.

“Matty Wood, from day one, he's almost been attached at the hip to Justin Pearson,” head coach Mike Cavanaugh said.

Wood is the youngest player on the team by a couple years while Pearson is one of the oldest. That age gap has actually proven to be beneficial, though. Pearson transferred to UConn after four years at Yale, so he has plenty of college experience — both on and off the ice. As Wood navigated living across the country as a 17-year-old for most of the season, Pearson proved to be a valuable resource.

“Matty’s definitely benefited from Justin's mentorship,” Cavanaugh said.

It hasn’t been a one-sided relationship, though. Despite his age, Wood might be the most talented player on UConn’s roster. Pearson has learned a few things along the way from the freshman, too.

As a result, the fifth-year forward has recorded a career-high 27 points and is just one goal off from matching his previous best. Meanwhile, Wood is first on the squad with 33 points on 11 goals and 22 assists. Together, their 60 points account for 40 percent of UConn’s newcomer production.

“We really push each other and on and off the ice,” Pearson said. “It's just a ton of fun with him.”

Week in review

From the UConn Hockey Hub:

From The UConn Blog:

Last Forecheck:

UConn women's hockey to face Boston College in Hockey East quarterfinals

Three stars

First star: Justin Pearson

Pearson recorded the first hat trick at Toscano Family Ice Forum and also added an assist in the win on Saturday. He earned Co-Hockey East Player of the Week honors after putting his name in the record books.

Second star: Matthew Wood

Wood made arguably the assist of the year when he undressed a pair of Boston College players to set up Pearson’s third goal. The freshman finished with three points on the weekend and extended his points streak to five games.

Third star: Jake Black

The freshman has now played in five consecutive games after dressing just three times previously. He found the back of the net on Saturday for his first career goal and point at the collegiate level.